Before the First
by Foxfyre2
Summary: A traditional gather-around-the-fire story about rejection, loneliness, and the search for family. It is a tale about Luna, Celestia, Discord, and Sombra back before the first Hearth's Warming and how they found comfort in each other during a time of great distress. It sort of imitates the play "Into the Woods" and is(was) updated daily until Christmas :)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Gather around, friends, as I tell the tale of a time long ago when Equestria knew not of love and tolerance, and gave way to hatred. On second thought, why bore you with the tale we all know so well; the one of the first Hearth's Warming. Instead, I will tell you the story of yet a few years back before the first Hearth's Warming. This is a tale of duty, companionship, abandonment, and misery. More importantly, though, this is a story about family and how it can be found in the strangest places.

This story begins in Canterlot in the midst of the longest lasting snowstorm that Equestria has known. So long and heavy that snowstorm was that not even the strength of Celestia's sun could shed a ray through to bring warmth to the ponies and pegasi of Equestria. This worried Princess Celestia for if she could not find a way to disperse the storm her loyal subjects would not last through the end of a fortnight.

"Tia, I wish you wouldn't make yourself like this. It worries me to see you so disheveled."

"Luna, I have already told you. The storm has brought my subjects to famine. Not only that, I see families in shambles; too preoccupied to give time to each other. This land is falling into disarray and shall continue to do so unless I find a solution!"

"They're my subjects as well, sister. I assist in ruling this land as well, sister," Remarked Luna.

"Is that all you take away from what I am saying?! Our land is in chaos!" Celestia let out a frustrated sigh. "I must go and seek for a solution. In the meantime, try to think of others and console those with less means. Not everything is about you."

Celestia took leave of Luna, having her to remain in a slew of aggravation and disdain towards her older sister. Luna may be the younger sister, but that does not call for a complete lack of recognition as being an equal to her sister. What reason had she to stay in a place in which she couldn't even hope to see a shred of respect from her own sister? Luna made up her mind. She decided to leave Canterlot. To where, exactly? She did not know. All she knew was that this was not the place for her to stay. First thing in the morning she would set off for the Everfree forest. There she would not have to suffer from such indignities.

* * *

In the Royal Library, books were being lifted from the shelves and flung into organized piles on a desk. Celestia had been searching for any relevant information since she left Luna. Hours later and still nothing. Determined to find something – anything – she dusted off an old scroll with only the title _The Elders _embellished across the top. Never hearing of "The Elders" before, Celestia opened up the scroll and began reading.

_Far from light you shall find_

_A secret spot lost in time_

_Deep within a forest marsh_

_Riddled with danger, fierce and harsh_

_Here you will find three elders wise_

_And they will reveal the answer in disguise_

Celestia called for one of her older council ponies and asked him his thoughts on the scroll's description.

"Ah yes, the Elders. Legend tells of three mythical creatures that reside deep within the forbidden forest. It was said that these three elders were wise beyond belief and capable of solving any problem brought before them. My memory is not the sharpest anymore, but from this scroll, the most I can deduce is that whom you seek rest in the darkest corner of the Everfree Forest."

"Thank you, sir; that will do."

Could this be a possible way to save her sovereignty? What other options did she have? Even if the Elders were just a legend, it was more than what she had to go on before. Time was of the essence. She grabbed her saddlebag, gathered her guards and instructed them to be especially watchful in her absence, and set off towards the Everfree Forest.


	2. Chapter 2: Celestia's Story

Chapter 2: Celestia's Story

Night had already set, the typical howls emanating from the Everfree forest picked up, and swift shadows dashed the nippy air. The pristine snow beneath Celestia's hooves crunched with each step, echoed by the eerie stillness only found in this backwards forest. Even Celestia herself rarely ventured into the forest, and when she did it was only for a mile or two in. She had not much business to tend to in there, and knew that there were mysteries safely kept deep within that could keep anypony searching their whole lives for and never catch wind.

Celestia contemplated on her matters as she walked along. With a vague sense of her bearings and a wide journey ahead, she had not much else to do. Her thoughts started out on the matter of the storm. In all her years of reign, never had a storm become so uncontrollable; the pegasi were swift enough and skilled enough to handle it. Even with her own effort she could not subdue this storm. What could possibly be different? She trudged on in silence. Seamlessly her mind shifted to a memory of her childhood - a very particular memory that she was quite fond of. It was the day she and Luna first learned to raise the sun and moon. It had been a spectacular moment only enhanced when the sight of the sun and moon sharing the sky passed overhead. That was the day the two sisters received their cutie marks and first royal duties. How fond of a memory it was.

Our princess carried on in silence for many hours, only stopping at the occasional clearing to gaze up at the ongoing storm. Funny, the storm didn't seem so furious at this moment. It was almost serene – the clouds whisking above in uniformity and the moon managing to peek through here and there – and once again her mind drifted, this time to her sister. She recalled the many times that Luna had been there for her and been there with her through troubles and playful mischief. But then another thought escaped from her subconscious. How arrogant she believed Luna to be in the past weeks. She almost let herself stoop to believing how much easier it would be without having a sister at all!

Just then, the winds roared, bending trees and bringing with them a barrage of biting cold snow. Celestia, taken by surprise, hurried to seek shelter from the blistering winds. She perchance happened upon a shallow ditch between brambles. Perhaps she should consider holing up here for the night or at least until the winds died down – if they would at all.

Despite the blustery weather, Celestia managed to find herself wandering off into drowsiness. A twig snapped. It sounded quite near to Celestia and was enough to jerk her from her state of rest. She knew there were beasts and creatures in the forest, but wouldn't believe that any would dare venture out into this cold, much less in the dead of night. The bushes rustled to her right – or so her fears told her for it would be hard to tell otherwise in that wind – and she stood and waited for any more movement.

"Who treads upon this path?!" she shouted.

A shadow, tall and slender, emerged from beside the bush.

"Wh-who are you?"


	3. Chapter 3: Discord's Story

Chapter 3: Discord's Story

Now let me stray off for a moment to tell you a little bit about the balance of Equestria. It has been philosophized for centuries that good cannot exist without evil, right without wrong, harmony without chaos. You all my very well know about an infamous spirit, a commonly criticized draconequis named Discord. Interestingly, not always was he an agent of dissonance.

Ponies feared Discord. Everywhere he roamed, disaster and chaos followed, driving many to shun his existence. He floated for hundreds of miles and for hundreds of years, alone and growing increasingly disheartened. Why do I exist? What is my purpose? Why am I here if nopony even has the heart to simply say hello. Discord, being cast aside by society, grew to become the mischievous creature that we today know him as. If only one pony could show him a bit of compassion.

Here his story begins, wondering aimlessly through the Everfree Forest where he knew his shadow could reign freely. This was his domain. The creatures and beasts of the forest respected him, though they didn't befriend him, nopony screamed in fright at his sight because no pony would dare enter the forest, and within it he created his own world tailored to his being.

Now back to our story.

Discord could care less about the storm. He had always been cold. He could care less about the wind. He had always welcomed its erratic nature. Discord wandered directionless, eager to happen upon some creature with which to toil. Only now, most creatures were hidden away, crouching in their homes safe from the storm. Here and there Discord would see a set of eyes peering out from under a rotted tree. Even though these were beasts, they still had families to find comfort in, and the sight of that disheartened the Spirit. He floated past, tree by tree.

Walking along one night, he caught glimpse of something moving through the trees off in the way. Curious as always, especially at the prospect of entertainment, he furtively etched closer to the something. The winds roared overhead. Closer he drew, narrowly being able to make out the shape of the something. He came within a ten pony distance of it and realized what it was he had been following. He took cover behind some bushes, and waited for a minute to see what it was going to do. Discord mistakenly stepped on a twig. It made a small sound but sharp enough to pierce the howling wind.

A powerful voice cut through the air, "Who treads upon this path?!"

Discord emerged from behind the bush, partly shadowed by the flurry of snow flying past.

The voice spoke again, this time softer, "Wh-who are you?"


	4. Chapter 4: Luna's Story

Chapter 4: Luna's Story

"All my life she has been treating me like such a child! I'm not anymore. I hold every responsibility that she does yet **I **am the one who remains in her shadow!"

Luna trudged through the forest, venting her mind in every which way. Luna was resentful of her sister. Raising the sun each day, many ponies became acquainted to Celestia, while she was to raise the moon each night. As you can imagine, the night can be quite lonely for a princess. Her subjects slept and she was alone with her thoughts and her beautiful night. I guess more than anything, Luna was lonely. She always had been. Most of the time her loneliness took the form of frustration and often that frustration redirected to her sister.

Luna calmed down a bit in the hours that she trotted on. The crisp air flowing through her coat and mane always had a soothing effect on her.

"Maybe Celestia has a point. Maybe I was being a tad indignant. Oh but how I would hate to confess that to her! In fact, I shouldn't! At least not until she first apologizes to me!"

She came across a frozen marsh. It was smooth as glass and slick as soap. Luna thought an ice skating session could take her mind off of things for little while. Luna started off easily onto the ice, first making sure that it was solid enough for her. She glided easily off to the center. The storm calmed and the moon broke through the clouds and casting a spotlight upon the princess. Trees jutted out through the ice and Luna skillfully and elegantly navigated around them. Luna lost herself in her dance across the icy stage. The breeze through her mane, the eerie calm of the storm, the peeking moon; they all allowed for Luna to feel truly content.

Luna's trance was broken at the sound of a distinct cracking. She thought it best to fly off of the marsh and carry on to wherever it was she was going. It had been a while since Luna had the chance to relax like that. She felt almost guilty about it because of the ponies still fighting through the storm in Canterlot. Still, she valued the wisdom that a pony should enjoy life when a pony can. Sadly, that couldn't keep some guilt from seeping through.

"Why won't this snow storm die down!?" she screamed to the clouds. Quietly and to herself, "Why isn't there anything I can do to help? Why am I not with Tia helping her? Celestia! I must go back to help her!"

With that, Luna took off back the way she came, or so she thought. She had become disoriented while lost in her thoughts and dance. Nevertheless, she took off in blind distress to go find her sister. Wrong or right, she must help Celestia for the sake of her subjects. The storm picked up again and Luna lost all visuals.

"Confound this storm it drives me to misplacement!"

She galloped on in blindness for close to an hour in what must be the direction of the capitol. She couldn't dare fly lest the winds would carry her far off course. She burst forth through a jumble of bushes believing that there would be a clearing and perhaps shelter on the other side. Sitting on the other side sat a large figure caught in Luna's trajectory. Crash!

"Who are **you**? Or more so, what are you?"


	5. Chapter 5: Sombra's Story

Chapter 5: Sombra's Story

Not well known in Canterlot history, King Sombra and his crystal empire rested soundly far off to the north beyond the Everfree Forest. Now recently you may have heard about Sombra and about his corruption, but in the time of this story, he was a just and pleasant ruler.

Sombra loved and respected his subjects. He frequented the streets of town and greeted the shopponies and the passing ponies enjoying a beautiful day. On particularly uneventful days, he would partake in racing the young ponies down a flight of stairs. He would even let them win just to see the joy on their faces. Wow, I just realized how much he liked stairs even then. Yes, the kingdom was happy; or mostly. You see, every evening, Sombra would watch as ponies retired to their homes and families. Sombra had none to return to each night, and this idea kept with for a while. It wasn't so much that he wanted a companion - nopony in his empire made his heart fluttery - but he wanted somepony to truly call a friend.

One day, Sombra left a note to his Captain explaining the details of his absence. He was going to be gone for a few days, maybe a week, on personal business. Sombra planned to leave his kingdom in the hands of his capable guards to go see what else there is beyond the walls of what can feel like a self-built prison for himself. His leave was planned to be inconspicuous so he left in the midst of the night, and headed south where he knew other settlements were established.

The crystal empire is perpetually in temperate weather; warm and sunny days and mild nights. The same cannot be said for the land outside of the kingdom. Sombra fought through a blizzard as rough and wild as the manticore in the Everfree in order to reach the midnight train. The frozen tundra between his empire and the train station gave little in the way of scenery, and was all too empty.

The only other pony at the station was the porter who was found snoring on the bench. Sombra, having not seen anything exciting on his way over, couldn't resist having a little fun at another's expense, especially one asleep on the job. He gathered a few stones and pulled together a couple large snowballs and piled them next to the snoozing pony. Sombra snickered to himself at his own prank and tossed a snowball at the porter. He abruptly woke and jumped out of his seat at the sight of a giant abominable snowman staring him down!

The porter exclaimed, "Blimey! Where did you come from?"

Sombra could not contain his laughter. "I'm sorry, sir. I could not resist having myself a little fun. Tell me, what is your name and when should I expect the next train out of here?"

The porter retorted, "I should say! Who might **you **be waking up a bloke in the mid'le of the night?! And on that matter, it's the mid'le of the night. What on earth might you be doing here?"

The king smirked, "Don't you recognize your king in your frenzy? I wish to ride the train out of here to the next waypoint."

"King Sombra? A thousand pardons, sir. I wouldn't in a hundred years expect my station to be graced by you at this hour! They call me Pockets, sir. I do apologize for my indignant behavior."

"Please, do not fret yourself. I quite enjoyed your act. You have yet to tell me when I should expect the next train and where it next stops."

"Sir, the next train arrives in, oh I'd say, fifteen ticks of the clock's hoof. But don't you know, sir? The first stop is just outside the Everfree Forest. Nopony gets off there."

"That is fine; I have no fears for this forest. Just tell me how much a ticket is."

"If you insist on traveling there then it's a buckshee fare for you, sir. I warn you, though. No pony ever finds anything good in that damn'ed forest."

The train slowed into the station. There was only one other carriage in addition to the caboose and Sombra climbed aboard. Pockets echoed one last warning before closing the cart's door and watched as the midnight train left for anywhere.


	6. Chapter 6: Celestia and Discord

Chapter 6: Celestia and Discord

Now that we are through with introductions, I bet you are all still wondering whatever happened to our dear Celestia. Well hang on to your trousers you trouser-wearing ponies; I'm getting to it! Sheesh. Ponies these days. Back when I was a filly we had to wait two hours in a line for the Sunday comics! Oh right, back to the story.

Well, Celestia found herself cornered in a ditch. The shadowy figure emerged and Celestia did her best to keep her composure.

"My, what a curious creature _you_are. Pray tell, what are you doing in this place? You hardly seem fit to be one wandering about."

Celestia's fear swept away at this jest and indignation took its place. She stood up, though only reached about half the height of the creature, and spoke sternly. "I beg your pardon? I am Princess Celestia of Canterlot, and I can handle myself just fine in these dreaded woods." Celestia's steady stance would have held longer were it not for her curiosity. "Who are you? And what exactly are you, for that matter? I've never seen a thing like you before."

"Discord, at your service, milady. I am a draconequis, great and powerful! I myself am the great spirit of chaos. If I may say, princess, you scarcely seem to play your part. Should not a princess pony be tuckered up in her cozy castle?"

Our princess was much too intrigued to take any offense, and if you ask me, I think she enjoyed the idea of an exchange of wits. She put her head back on and responded, "Spirit of chaos? There is hardly a twig out of place in this vicinity. Should I have been asked, I may have called you Accord instead of Discord."

Discord grinned wide, "Ah, finally, a tongue as quick as my own. Now tell me, what **are** you doing in my domain? It really isn't a family funland, though I've never been one to turn a traveler away." He circled Celestia, paying her a mischievous glance and prodding at her crown. Discord found Celestia as exotic as she found him. He couldn't pass up an opportunity to have some fun.

"Do you mind? I'm not an exhibit to nudge at." Her interest then took a turn, "You say you are a draconequis? How come I've never seen another before in my life? Surely there must be others!"

Discord's grin vanished. "I am the only one left. There used to be many of us in years far gone past, but now it is just I who roams these woods." The storm feigned a moment of reprieve.

Celestia reciprocated a furrowed brow. Though a jester, she sympathized with the lonely spirit. She advanced towards him and sat beside him. "Discord, I am sorry for your situation. It is a great loss to be without anypony." She looked up into his eyes and saw not a chaotic monster, but a creature lost in sorrow. "What am I doing?" she mumbled to herself. "Discord, I so hope we cross paths again in the near future, but right now I have matters to tend to! I really must be off."

She shouldn't have indulged her whim like that while the storm remained. The Elders were out there somewhere and she must find them. Now you may be asking, why didn't she just ask Discord where they were? Well you see, Celestia may be a princess, but she is still a pony like the rest of us. She was still subject to her own heart and at that moment, she couldn't bear to tease it any more.

Discord remained still, perplexed at her sudden departure. Inaudibly, "Farewell, Celestia."


	7. Chapter 7: Sombra's Story

Chapter 7: Sombra's Story

Meanwhile, Sombra sat gazing out the window of his cart, thankful that the blizzard was out there and not in here. The gentle ruffles from the train tracks and the steady howling of the wind rushing past the inconsistencies on the train lulled Sombra into a drowsy state. He tossed and turned and mumbled in his sleep. _"But where are you going? How long am I going to be here by myself? You can't leave me!"_ The steward appeared and shook his majesty out of his daze.

"Sir, are you alright? You were dreaming and you nearly fell right out of your seat."

"I'm fine, thank you. How much longer until we arrive at the first stop?"

"I'd say it should be just another ten minutes. Are you certain that you wish to depart from there? The storm is bad and the forest is dangerous.

"Yes I'm certain. What I seek is an answer that no pony can give to me. If it is alright with you, I would like to be alone with my thoughts."

"Very well, sir." And with that, the steward took his leave of the king. Several minutes passed by and Sombra's train came to a halt at a small shack nearly buried in snowdrift. "This is it, sir, the first and only stop in the Everfree Forest." Sombra thanked the steward and stepped out into the biting snow. His first thought was to knock on the shack and see if anypony was home, but the sight of the thing gave itself to believe that it hadn't been occupied in years. He turned around just to see the caboose disappearing behind a wall of snow.

"I guess it's now or never… literally." He faced away from the train tracks with the wind at his side. He pulled a mask around his head and refastened a scarf around his neck. With one last sigh, he set off. Deeper and deeper into the forest he wedged himself.

You may be asking me, _where is he going? I thought he was lonely so who is he going to find in the Everfree Forest?_ Yes, he is lonely, but more so, he is looking for a family. Not just any family, but his own. Have patience and you will find out.

The trees around him grew dense and increasingly eerie as he pressed on. The sliver of the moon appearing now and then grew fainter and fainter. Sombra walked on steadily, his ears perked and listening intently. There was a crackling noise resounding from the trees. For a moment he thought he glimpsed a twig scurrying past him, but it was so dark that he thought his mind was playing a trick on him. On he walked. "I must be getting close. It's getting darker and I'm losing my bearing." Suddenly Sombra found himself face down in the snow. Something caught his leg. He struggled to free himself but it held fast. A short burst of red haze shot down from his horn to his foot and he was free. Sombra lit up the area with his horn and beheld dozens of branches and vines extending towards him. He took off like – well, he took off like you, Rainbow Dash – off to escape the danger. Twice he nearly tripped, but shear adrenaline kept him upright. He burst forth into a clearing, safe from the trees… for now.

He turned away from the forest and what next he glanced upon nearly startled him. There he stood at the edge of a bubbling marsh, oddly not frozen like the rest of the forest. Directly in the middle of the swamp sat three large columns. Sombra knew for sure that he had found the place, the resting spot of The Elders.

He carefully leapt between rotting logs and rocks sticking out of the marsh. He finally stood on solid earth after much effort and near slips. He approached the three pillars and bowed before them. His horn began to glow and the space around him lit up spectacularly.

"We are The Elders. Who is it that dares face us? Speak now and recognize your fate."


	8. Chapter 8: Discord and Luna

Chapter 8: Discord and Luna

"I, Madam Mishap, am the great spirit of chaos, Discord. And who might you be, other than one running around crashing into others like a headless scootaloo?" Discord asked as he picked himself up from the mix of pony and snow.

"What is a … scootaloo? Never mind, I am Princess Luna of Canterlot. What are you doing just standing there? Don't you realize that there is a blizzard going on?"

"Why, you mean this little flurry of snow? It hardly deserves to be called a blizzard by **my** standards. Now tell me this, what are you doing in this forest on night like this? You do know that there are … dangers … in this nasty ol' place?" Discord was grinning right through his teeth. He very much enjoyed the situation that was playing out.

Luna was about to make her retort, but something inside of her decided against it. Instead, she replied, "I ran away from my kingdom, or rather, I ran away from somepony in the kingdom; my sister." Luna proceeded to explain to Discord her circumstance and how she ended up in the middle of nowhere. He listened quietly and once in a while asked a simple question.

"In all honesty, I'm not entirely angry with my sister, I'm also angry at myself. I know she is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of our subjects, but it feels like she never has time to spend with me anymore. She feels so distant. I'm mad at myself now because I realize how selfish I've been in my thinking and actions. I just want us to be a happy family again. Am I bad sister?"

Of course Discord could understand Luna perfectly. "No, of course you are not. Sometimes families drive each other crazy, but they are still family." He expressed sincere empathy for Luna. "My family was much more chaotic than what yours sounds like."

For the few minutes that the two were talking, the storm quieted once again. There must have been some kind of magic in the friendly exchange of chatter that the storm resonated with.

Luna then asked, "Is that why you are out here now? To get away from your family?"

Discord felt a little bit hurt at the question. He would be right there with his family if he could, but he had none. Not anymore. Without thinking, Discord replied, "Don't be a foolish pony. I don't need my family anymore! They mean as much to me as I meant to them."

Luna, shocked by his words and change of tone, sent back a response as harsh as his. "Well maybe you don't deserve a family then, if that's how you think of them!" The blizzard instantly turned malignant. "I may be resentful of my sister once in a while, but I'd never turn my back on her!"

"Oh, you mean like what you're doing right now? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you **are** acting like a spoiled brat. In fact, I take back my previous sincerities. Go on, run away and mope about how _dreadful_ you must have it. See how much good that'll do you." Discord then hurried off into the forest. Inside he was truly hurt, but his attitude persuaded him to turn around just before out of sight and shoot Luna a mocking expression. He then vanished into the storm.

Luna sat there for a moment, deeply saddened and holding back tears. She slouched down beneath a shallow ditch. "Why did I say that?" She buried her head in her hooves and started to cry.


	9. Chapter 9: Celestia's Story

Chapter 9: Celestia's Story

Celestia ran as if she had a pack of timberwolves on her tail. She ran straight forth until no longer could her legs keep up. She fell down beside an overturned tree to regain her normal breathing. "I need to find The Elders. I can't be getting caught up in my own interests." She looked around. In her frenzy she lost all sense of her direction and looked around in hopes of glimpsing some kind of indication as to which way she might be facing. The clouds hid the moon from sight and Celestia let out a sigh of frustration.

"This way appears to be darker than any other direction. Might as well go this way."

* * *

"Alright, I'd like to stop this story here for a minute. I have something really important to say."

"What's that, Soarin?"

"Pinkie Pie, I need you to go and bring us some muffins. And some pie! I love pie."

"Really, Soarin? That is what was so important to interrupt your story?"

"Yes, Dashie. Pie is always important!"

"Call me Dashie one more time and I'll make sure you can't eat pie for a week!"

"Ponies! Can we please just get back to the story?!"

"Yes, I w-would love for you to continue, Soarin. That is um, if you don't mind."

"Ah reckon we could be getting' back to the story now."

"Fine, but I'm still having my muffin. Now where was I?"

"You were just telling us about Princess Celestia lost in that uncouth forest, darling."

"Ah yes, I knew that."

"Yeah, sure you did…"

* * *

Well now, Celestia walked on in the near darkness. The trees grew more densely in this area of the woods. Celestia found that she needed to fit her way through some small openings and climb over thick intertwined roots. At one point she came up to the bottom of a cliff and had to shuffle along a narrow ledge that lead up to the top – the trees being too dense to allow her to fly.

* * *

"Sorry to interrupt once again. Pinkie, where is that pie?"

"I have nooo idea!"

"Uggh! I swear, Soarin, if you don't get a move on this story then you're not getting my gift to you!"

"Calm down Da-I mean Rainbow Dash. This part of the story isn't nearly as exciting as the rest. Celestia finds herself lost in the forest bla bla where is my pie?"

"SOARIN! TELL THE STORY RIGHT!"

"Okay, okay."

* * *

When she reached the top of the cliff, she attempted to gaze off across the forest. Regrettably, her vision only traveled about fifty hooves through the passing snow. She was able to just make out a red glow coming out through a small clearing just to the left and down the other side of the cliff. She tried to focus on the spot but the storm was just too harsh. The red glow grew larger and brighter. It lit up through the trees and reflected down off the clouds above. Celestia was astonished and quickly hurried off to go find out what was causing the radiance.


	10. Chapter 10: Luna and Sombra

Chapter 10: Luna and Sombra

Sombra crawled out from the dense marsh scraped and bruised. Nopony knows for sure what happened to him back in the swamp, perhaps not even Celestia herself, but battered and sore as he was, he carried his body back the way he initially came. The words that were spoken to him by the Elders were still fresh in his head. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

"What did the Elders tell him, Soarin?"

"Well, after hundreds of years of the telling of this story, some parts may have been altered. So much so that there was a 20 foot cockatrice at one point in the telling of this story, but that's later on. I'm rambling now, so will you let me get back to the story? Whatever the Elders spoke will make sense later on."

Sombra walked off in the direction that the wind blew, for that was the way in which he was told to travel. He had a vague sense of where he was going and what he was looking for, but he would know when he found it. He limped through the snow for half an hour before the stinging of his cuts settled down. After another half hour of trotting with less discomfort, he slowly let his mind wander off about what the Elders said. He became oblivious to where he was stepping and fell right into a shallow ditch.

* * *

"Ow! Can I help you?"

"Pardon me! My sincerest apologies. I wasn't watching where I was going and appeared to have tripped into this ditch." Sombra picked himself up off of our Princess Luna. He looked at her and noticed two things. "Madam, why are you laying in this ditch and if you don't mind me asking, why are you crying?"

Luna sniffed and wiped her eyes off on her hoof. Trying to contain her tone, Luna replied, "I'm not sure anymore. I first left home because I felt outcast by my own sister and ended up here. It's partly my fault but I just feel like our family is non-existent. It's lonely when you have nopony to talk to. Oh-I must seem like such a mess right now." Luna buried her face back down into her hooves to avoid a judging stare, but none came.

"I can imagine exactly how you feel. In fact, that's sort of why I'm out here in this forest right now. I understand."

"How so, er, I'm sorry, I never asked for your name. I am Luna."

"Where are my manors? My name is Sombra. It is very nice to meet you, if not for this strange circumstance."

"Tell me, Sombra, how can you possibly relate to my situation?"

Sombra had no reason to hold back from telling Luna his story, so he told her everything, from how his parents left him with his aunt and uncle when he was just a filly to how recently he's been feeling lonely without a family. Luna sat and listened while he spoke. He had gone through as much dejection in his life as she had, even worse than she had.

"You make my troubles seem so irrelevant. I feel bad for making a deal about them at all."

Sombra smiled warmly, "Dear Luna, you shouldn't feel a bit of dissonance. Everypony has problems, and to each individual, their problems seem like the worst there is. Just because yours is not as significant as another's, does not mean that it does not matter."

A small smile broke on Luna's sorrowed face. "Thank you for those words and thank you for being so understanding. But can you tell me this, why are you out here in the forest? I would think this would be the last place one would seek a family for."

"I'm out here for the same reason you are. The same reason anyone who has ever felt lonely and rejected would be out here for. Sometimes we feel the need to match our physical state to our mental one: lost and in a dark place. It is here that we see the world as it truly is. The answers to our hardest problems aren't easily found, so we must go to where it is easy to become lost to find them."

The two talked easily for the next few minutes, talking in a calm tone as the storm quietly breezed overhead. They easily became friends in their chatter and even managed to break out in a hearty laughter.

"It was very nice talking to you, Luna, but I must be off. You see, there is something I am compelled to do right now. Official business, you could say. I wish you the best of luck in finding your answers." With that salutation, Sombra left off once again in the way of the breeze. Luna thanked him once more for his company and watched as he left. She got up herself, and trotted off, happy to have found such a good friend.


	11. Chapter 11: Discord's Story

Chapter 11: Discord's Story

_When the Devil is too busy  
And Death's a bit too much  
They call on me by name you see  
For my special touch  
To the gentlemen I'm Misfortune  
To the ladies, I'm surprise  
But call me by any name  
Any way it's all the same_

"How could I be so dull in the mind?! She was only curious. She meant nothing by her question. Why can't I just act like a reasonable creature?! AARRGGHH!" Discord raged about the forest. A chance to make friends with a sensible pony and he blew his chance to avoid being seen as arrogant, mean, and as a monster.

The spirit of chaos began crashing down trees and turning the snow beneath him into black ice. He made bushes turn a dreary green and streams turn red as wine. His blind temper turned the area around him topsy turvy, all the while the blizzard violently erupted overhead. The storm drowned out all other noise and trees bowed deeply at the might of the wind. If Celestia had thought that the impending storm was terrible then, she would be near to having a heart attack now.

Discord flew up to the top of a precipice and surveyed his capitol below. His lawless domain ran wild, rampant, and unrestrained and he felt a moment of grief. Cockatrice cawed desperately as they fled from their burning homes, manticore stampeded in blind fear, and distant screams caught hold on the threshold of Discord's hearing. He realized that Celestia and Luna were still in there. He collapsed down onto the ground and cursed himself for what he was doing.

He focused intently and slowly the fires died, the manticore ceased their running, and the cockatrice ended their frantic frenzy. Only once before had he let himself go like that. Only once before had he regretted so much.

"I am a monster. I do not deserve to have friends. I just wish for once that I could make a friend and refuse myself from jesting or overreacting." Discord remained where he laid and recalled the last time he had such an outburst. In years long gone past, his kind roamed the land abundantly. It was a time of perpetual turmoil, and the draconequis flourished.

As the myth goes, Discord was told to remain on this world while the rest of his family left off into the sky. You may not know this, but the spirit of chaos is a necessary part to the natural balance. There cannot be light without dark, good without evil, and order without disorder. Discord needed to remain so that Equestria could eventually be formed and the happy ponies could live peacefully. Discord's family knew the value of this balance, but they never told him when they left him at a young age.

Discord quietly wept. "I miss my family. I wish that they were still here for me." The vicious storm subsided to a quiet roar. Out there somewhere was Luna and she must certainly be hurt. Discord stood up tall. "Enough of my sulking. I need to go and find Luna to apologize. I must make things right; no longer shall I be this monster that the world sees."

He swiftly flew off in the direction where he heard the faint screams. He was determined to make amends and hopefully make a permanent friend.


	12. Chapter 12: Celestia and Sombra

Chapter 12: Sombra and Celestia

Celestia reached where she thought she had seen the red glow radiating from. All she saw when she looked around was a blackened clearing still smoldering. The center of the area was particularly dark in comparison, and she worked her way towards the spot.

"How very curious. It looks as though there used to be some kind of watermark here, yet this place is dry." Celestia examined the ground and noticed small shards of some strange rock. It was black as coal on some sides of the exterior but a brilliant ruby hue on the interior. She thought that she could just make out some kind of an inscription on a particularly large shard but it was difficult to tell. "The ruin here must be due to that red glow I saw, but what could possibly have done it?"

A group of shrill caws sounded out from the surrounding brush, and a flock of cockatrice came running out. They were too much in a panic to even notice Celestia as they ran right past her. She was curious to what could have frightened them and headed to where they were fleeing from. Smoke rose up and filtered through the empty trees. A low rumbling resonated just up ahead and a familiar orange ember pierced the air.

A fire swept the forest. Celestia found herself at the edge of the destruction and gasped at the ensuing ashes. Creatures were running in pure terror, some were even still trapped in their homes. Celestia instinctively rushed into the flames to save the cornered creatures. She levitated fallen branches out of the way of badger holes and cleared a path out of the blaze.

If things seemed severe in her struggle to help, matters started to become worse. The wind above forcibly accelerated the spreading inferno. Larger branches fell off the trees and the flames rose higher and higher. Celestia realized that there was not much more she could do and sought to find a way out. She sprinted for a shallow opening not thirty hooves away. She nearly escaped when a large branch came crashing down onto her.

Celestia screamed. "Help me!" She struggled to get out but her strength left her. "Please, somepony help me!" The fear in her eyes could put an end to a dragon's rage. "I don't want to die."

It grew harder and harder for Celestia to breathe. The smoke soared nearer to the ground. She struggled to keep her eyes open but it was increasingly difficult. Just as her consciousness was slipping, she felt a weight being lifted off of her side. It was almost comforting. She felt her body being lifted up and away from the flame and ashes. Then everything went dark.

* * *

"Did she make it out alive? Was she alright?"

"What do you think, Pinkie Pie?"

"I d-do hope she was a-alright."

"Girls, of course she made it out alive! We saw her last week."

"Please, will you ponies just let me tell my story?"

"Sorry, Soarin. Ah think you can go on now."

"Thank you." *A-hem*

* * *

"Wake up! Are you alright?"

"Huh? Wha?"

"Are you alright, madam?"

"I-I think so. Where am I? Who are you? Am I dead?"

"Slow down. You haven't even caught your breath yet. I am King Sombra. I heard a scream and found you fixed beneath a rather large limb. It is miraculous that I found you in time."

"Then I really must thank you, King Sombra. I owe my life to you. My name is Princess Celestia."

"Well, Princess, I am glad to see that you are quite alright."

The two royalties cordially exchanged their stories of how they ended up in their current situation. Sombra made a few comments about Celestia's problem with the impending storm. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind but he discarded it. When he mentioned how he faced the Elders, she instantly perked up.

"You found the Elders?! Where? I've been searching for them myself!"

"Yes, milady, I certainly did find them. I wish I could tell you where, but you see, they're gone now. I wish I could explain myself more properly, but I cannot. After I found them, I quickly had to vacate myself from the marsh. I just barely escaped with my life."

"Then what happened?"

"I came into a clearing and stumbled upon another pony like yourself who introduced herself as Luna. Do you know her?"

"Luna?! She is here in the forest? Is she alright? Where is she now?"

"The last I saw her she was off in that direction, away from the flames, about two miles from here."

"I'm sorry to cut our meeting short, but it is essential that I find her as soon as possible. I really am grateful for you saving my life. I hope that I will have a chance to properly express my gratitude."

Celestia managed to get up and trotted off as fast as her battered body would take her. To herself, "Luna, why have you come out here?"

Sombra watched Celestia trot off. Instantaneously, he remembered a specific part of what the Elders told him. "Celestia, wait! I just remembered something that I believe may be of importance to you!" It was too late. The wind carried his shout in the opposite direction and Celestia disappeared behind a white wall of snow.


	13. Chapter 13: Luna's Story

Chapter 13: Luna's Story

Luna trotted on contently. For the first time in a long time she was smiling and happy. For the first time in a long time, she had made a real friend that she could talk to openly. She was still thinking on what Sombra had said to her about finding an answer. It seemed a little vague what he had said, so she began wondering to herself what her problem was.

_Why am I out here? _"Because Celestia doesn't acknowledge me anymore; I don't feel like we're a family and I want her to respect me." _Well how is wandering about this place going to help you resolve these problems? _"I thought maybe if I left that she would realize how neglectful of my feelings she was being." _You do realize that she has important issues to tend to almost daily, right? _"Yes. I know." _How can you make things right? _"I must go and talk to Celestia. I need to tell her how I am feeling and apologize for being so senseless." _Then why are you still stalling? Go!_

Luna broke into a gallop with this new outlook fresh on her mind. She followed the breeze believing that it would take her back to the castle. Her spirits held high for several minutes. "Oh I've been wandering around in this forest for so long. It's going to take me a while to find my way out."

I wish I could tell you that everything went well for Luna, but you'll often find that things usually get worse before they get better, for at this time the storm once again grew nasty.

Luna bowed low to the ground to avoid the biting wind. The snow pinched her sides and no longer could she see past her own snout. Luna screamed into the air, "What is going on with this storm?!" Blindly she fled through the forest, narrowly dodging trees, looking for a shelter to hide in. She managed to duck behind a fallen tree along with a small group of woodland creatures. She looked at them and could see the terror in their eyes.

Luna couldn't stand it. She stood up and closed her eyes tightly. A bright blue glow emanated around her and the air froze still. It grew larger and when she opened her eyes, they burned a hot white. "Critters of the forest! Follow us!" All forms of animals from mice and owls to cockatrice and manticore fled into the glow and followed behind Luna. She led them towards the lee of a small mountain and there she found a cave to escort the critters into. It must have been a sight to see; all kinds of animals coming together in a time of distress.

The blue glow dispersed and Luna collapsed onto the cave floor. A few of the animals crept up beside her and sat down, some mice climbed up onto her, and a manticore watched over her as she rested.

* * *

"Aww yeah! That's our princess!"

"Wow. Luna is such a powerful pony! I should beg her to teach me some new magic!"

"Ah think we all are mighty lucky to have two amazing princesses!"

"Oh, but how could she lie down on that dusty cave floor?!"

"I'm just glad that all those critters were alright. Celestia and Luna are both so selfless."

"Yes, they are amazing, but wait until you hear the rest of the story. Now the next part of the story I think you all might enjoy. It's a bit… childish… you might say."

"Ooh I can't wait!"


	14. Chapter 14: Discord and Sombra

Chapter 14: Discord and Sombra

The first rays of the early morning strained over the horizon. They were not rays of warmth, though. The blizzard quietly rumbled and still kept the land in a rigid state. Discord stared at the gleaming sun wide eyed and remorseful. He stood in a clearing not far off from where the fire had been. There he stood over a rumpled patch of snow where two ponies had met and sequentially parted as there were two tracks that led in opposite directions.

"One of these tracks, perhaps, belongs to Luna or even Celestia. That must mean that they are alright! But which one do I follow?" There was not much to distinguish between the two sets, so after a few moments of deliberation he followed the one leading towards the sun. Swiftly he flew along the trampled path and a few minutes past his departure he spotted a faint shadow behind the snowy veil. Too excited at the prospect of stumbling upon Celestia or surprising Luna, he crashed right into the shady figure.

"Oomph." Discord and the figure crashed into the snow. "What is the meaning of this disturbance?!"

"You're not who I was expecting. What are you doing wandering about my forest?"

"I beg your pardon, but I did not realize that I was supposed to be somepony else. And where are MY manners, I seem to have thrown you off from on top of me without introducing myself."

"Oh now dear sir, I know you meant nothing by your rustic etiquette. I am the great spirit of chaos, master over this forest. You may call me Discord."

"Well, Discord, if you are as great as you claim, tell me this. How do you manage to go about this forest without a head injury when you can barely make your way through without crashing into somepony? For the record, my name is King Sombra. Pleased to make your, er, affiliation."

"A king, you say? Hmm, I might have guessed a joker, perhaps a squire. King of what, though? A resolute mound?"

"If you could imagine, I rule over a land that, in comparison to this appalling place, is a utopia!"

"You dare insult my wonderful land? My domain spans for hundreds of acres! How big is yours? A mile and a half square?"

I'd like to tell you that their chatter boiled down to productive talk, but I tell you this now, colts are colts and stallions are also colts. It was true then and it's true now. We never grow up!

* * *

"Soarin, you can't possibly expect us to believe that Discord, the spirit of chaos, and King Sombra were really disputing something as silly as that!"

"Indeed, Soarin! Wouldn't they be disagreeing over something else like who had the bigger-"

"RARITY! Please show some discretion!"

"I don't know, I think Rarity might have been on to something there. Hehe!"

"Rainbow Dash."

"Yes?"

"Just… let me get back to the story. And yes, they certainly were arguing over menial things like the size of their KINGDOMS. Not anything else. Sheesh, I'm surrounded by too many mares, and I never thought that could be a bad thing."

"Hehe, I think Soarin is embarrassed!"

* * *

"It is tragic but I really must be off. You see, I initially intended on running into another pony, i.e. not you, and I wish to go find her."

"Her? Is my new friend enamored by a certain mare? I'll have you know that I've met two running around this place. In fact, I just parted ways with one who called herself Celestia."

"Celestia?! Which way did she go?"

"My, my, she sounds like more than just an acquaintance to you." Sombra grinned. "Follow me. I'll show you back to where we last met."

The two bickered all the way back to the last place that Sombra and Celestia had met. It was almost a game to see who could outwit the other, and I must say that Sombra gave Discord a tongue challenge.

* * *

"Haha, 'tongue challenge' sounds naughty!"

"Rarity…"

"What, dear? You said it!"

"I shall try and avoid such innuendos."

* * *

Discord looked around. "The only set of tracks here are the ones we just made! Which way did she go?"

"The snow must have covered them in the last hour. It was dark and still snowing, but I believe it was in that general direction that she went."

"Sombra, your wit is whet, but your navigation skills are duller than your horn. I will head off in this direction and perhaps you could go that way to see if you might find somepony."

"Discord, I'll just ignore that jest since you are so Lovestruck. We'll meet back soon."

The two parted ways, and after such a convergence of prideful wit, it was probably for the best that they separated.


	15. Chapter 15: Luna and Discord

Chapter 15: Luna and Discord

When Luna awoke, a warm glow met her opening eyes. The woodland animals still gathered around her but they were much less apprehensive now that the storm had settled down. Luna looked out towards the cave opening but her eyes had not yet adjusted. She stirred from where she rested and the mice scurried off of her.

She rose up and walked to the edge of the cave. The sun was just barely creeping through cracks on the horizon but at least the storm was no longer violent. She walked out of the cave along with a few followers. "It's okay, friends. The worst of the storm has passed. You may come out safely now." After the majority of the animals left, Luna, too, left the cave and began to walk once again.

Meanwhile, Discord rushed through the trees desperately hoping to find Celestia. He didn't quite know why he was so excited to see her, nor did he know what he would say if he did find her. He drifted into a daydream while he flew along, imagining a mild spring day on the top of a hill. On that hill sat two figures leaning in close to each other. Discord closed his eyes, completely dissolved in his daydream. Then suddenly, "Oomph!" Discord had crashed right into a tree and fell into a snow drift.

A loud chuckle came from next to him. "My, what a skilled flyer we have here. I almost believe that you deserved that!" Luna stood there proudly as she watched Discord dig himself out of the snow. He gave himself a good shaking and stood tall, if not rather embarrassed.

"Luna! I can't believe that you are here! You're alright!"

"Yes, I am fine. Discord, I have something I want to tell you. I-"

"As do I, and if you don't mind, I would like to speak first. Luna, I am so sorry. I acted like a monster and my actions were uncalled for. I just felt hurt when I you mentioned 'family' like that. I should have explained myself earlier and maybe this whole thing mess might not have happened. I'm sorry."

"I was going to say that I am sorry as well. I didn't mean what I said and I know how hurtful it was."

* * *

"SOARIN!"

"WHAT!?"

"Do you really expect us to believe that they just made up that easily?"

"Yeah, Soarin, when I have an argument with you that usually lasts a few days."

"…That's because you always think you're right…"

"What was that, Soarin?!"

"Uh, nothing, Dash! I love you!"

"That's what I thought you said. Now keep telling your story."

* * *

After exchanging their apologies, a short tale from each of them of how they got to this point, and I presume other friendly banter, the two agreed to walk together back to the clearing where Discord discovered the two tracks.

"Luna, may I confide something in you?"

"Yes, of course."

"I don't really know how to say this, but when I met your sister, I felt something. I don't really know what it was. It was like this warmth despite all the snow."

"It must have been her hot temper that you were feeling."

"Oh well aren't you quite the jester now, aren't you?"

"You know it!"

"I know you still have a slight rancor against her, but I know not who else to tell."

"You really are a strange creature, Discord. I am glad to have met you, even if the first impression was downright awful. As for Celestia, she can be a little…"

"A little what?"

Luna thought for a second. It was true that she still had a small resentment of her sister, but she decided to ignore this fact. "Uh, nothing. Regardless of how I feel about her right now, she really is a kind and caring pony. Your feelings for her make sense."

"I just feel so bottom up right now. It's confusing to me and strange and foreign and it doesn't make sense and it's oh so wonderful! "

Luna couldn't help but laugh at his silliness. "Is it possible that Discord has been discorded?"

Discord stopped in his tracks and stared ahead. "I guess so."

"What is the matter? Why have you stopped?" Luna then turned away from him to see what he was staring at. She stood aghast for a moment and then took off in full gallop. "TIA!"


	16. Chapter 16: Celestia and Sombra

Chapter 16: Celestia and Sombra

Sombra felt it was his sworn duty to find Celestia again. Not just so he can tell her the import thing that the Elders told him, but also so he can bring her back to Discord, whom he now considered a friend. He knew that she wouldn't have been traveling fast in the storm, yet he ran briskly so that he might catch up to her at a sooner rate. The early sun helped him see a tad bit better through the bleary snow and this fact helped him from pulling a Discord and crashing into a tree.

"I really have no idea where I am right now! This is ludicrous; I'm turning back."

Sombra continued rushing through the forest. For a moment he thought that he had caught a trace of a track in the snow but it turned out to be just a few bunny prints. No hope was lost, though, and Sombra kept looking. Midway through an hour, he spotted a squirrel, and not expecting to find much else, he decided to chase it.

* * *

"Soarin, why would Sombra, a king, chase after a squirrel? That makes no sense."

"Have you ever felt the exhilaration of chasing a squirrel before? It's one of the most thrilling things in life!"

"Soarin, you're such a dork."

"Ah've chased a squirrel before, and ah have ta agree with ya."

"See, I told you so. Now in all honesty, I don't know if Sombra chased a squirrel or not, but it helps to explain the next part of the story that I'm about to tell."

"You're still a dork."

"But a handsome dork!"

* * *

Sombra followed the squirrel, weaving between trees and over a frozen stream. Eventually the squirrel grew tired and fled up a tree and silently cursed Sombra for his trouble. He sat on the protruding roots and stared up the tree.

"What are you staring at?"

"Oh, just a squirrel. I became a bit distracted while I was looking for somepony."

"Who might that be?"

"A princess named Celestia."

"You sure are an absent minded one, Sombra. Turn around!"

"Celestia?! I've been looking for you!"

Celestia just sat and shook her head. "I grew lost and decided to turn around in hopes of finding you again or somepony else. I haven't a clue how to get out of here."

Sombra smiled at the humor of moment and told Celestia to follow him back to the clearing. They trotted for a few minutes and then Sombra remembered why he was searching for Celestia in the first place. "Discord is looking for you!"

"What? He is?"

"Yes, and I also have something important to tell you about this unnatural storm. The Elders gave me word on how to pacify it."

"Where is Discord now? No, wait, What did the Elders say? Dear me, I need to get my priorities straight."

Sombra chuckled to himself, "Wow, you two should get along well."

"What do you mean?"

"Come, follow me. I am to meet Discord back at the clearing where we last parted."

As they trotted on, Sombra talked extensively on his encounter with the Elders and the knowledge that he received. "I've been trying to make sense of the last foreboding words that they echoed to me. They mentioned your name previously so I thought that you might be able to help."

_Just as the home has become distressed_

_And the blood bonds we share are pressed_

_The winds of rage will grow with might_

_If not peace can spread by tomorrow's eve night_

_When family grows from roots so distant_

_The storm will cease to be existent_

"That was the last thing that they told me. When they mentioned your name, it was something about disharmony among siblings. Is it possible that there is a relation with that and the storm?"

Celestia grew excited. "I think I know what it means! Come on, let's hurry back to the clearing in case Discord is already there. Then we need to find my sister. The fate of our land depends on it."

"Dear Celestia, what are you going on about?" Celestia didn't answer. She ran off ahead and he had no other choice but to follow swiftly. Near a half hour later and they emerged into the clearing and were relieved yet slightly apprehensive to find that no other pony had arrived in the meantime. "Well, we're here now. I do hope that Discord returns soon."

"My eyes deceive me! It looks as if he is already here. Look, off in the distance! Who is that other pony with him? Could it be?"


	17. Chapter 17: Luna and Celestia

Chapter 17: Luna and Celestia (Collapse of Harmony)

_So the years went by_

_I stayed the same_

_But she began to drift away_

_I was left alone_

_Still I waited for the day_

_When she'd say I will always love you_

Do you know that sensation of excitement and guilt when you encounter a pony whom you love dearly but have hurt in some way? That feeling when you meet a faded friend and a rush of emotions and muffled thoughts take over but you don't know what to say? Do you know how it feels to know that you're wrong but are too proud to admit it? Do you know how it feels to regret?

Luna stood frozen in her tracks. She didn't know what to do. Should she run to her? If she did, then what? Act like everything is okay? Demand that she apologize? Apologize herself? What would Celestia say? Did she want to find out?

"Luna. Go to her. Tell her how you feel."

"I don't know if I can. I-I am afraid."

"Have courage, Luna. She is your sister; she will understand."

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?"

"Because that's what family does! They forgive each other! Now go to her!"

Luna hesitantly walked up to her sister. Sombra took his leave over by Discord and the two sisters stood together in silence. Luna looked up at her sister and two cross eyes looked back.

"Tia, I-"

"Sister, walk with me."

Luna was fearful of what her sister was going to say next. They walked on in silence for a minute, probably each reflecting on the past night and their own feelings. I doubt either of them wanted to be the first to break the quiet between them. It's just so much easier to go on in silence, but we all know that silence is the enemy of progress. Celestia then spoke.

"What were you thinking coming out here into this forest?! It's dangerous and you could have been seriously injured. It's enough that I have to worry about finding a way to end this storm and then I find out that I have to worry about you staying safe!"

"Nopony asked you to worry about me! I can handle myself! And would you please stop treating me like I'm still a filly?"

"Because you still act like one! You constantly seek my attention and you are always claiming to have just as many responsibilities as I do yet you never think of anypony but yourself!"

"Maybe that's because I want you to recognize me! Maybe it's because I want you to be proud of me. It's because I don't feel very close to you anymore. You are always off on official business and we never have time to be sisters anymore. You are my only family, Tia, and lately it just doesn't feel like it. I feel lonely, like a passing shadow that goes unnoticed. I'm sorry."

"Luna, I didn't know that you felt that way. I became so wrapped up in my work that I just hadn't noticed. I should be the one who is sorry."

"I want to tell you something. The last several hours I have spent here in the Everfree Forest have been both terrifying and extraordinary. I ran into this forest at first to make a point and to lose myself. In the process I found some friends whom you seem to have met as well. Those two standing back in the clearing helped me to realize my faults and convinced me to confess to you my feelings. I just want us to be a family again."

"Oh Luna, come here. You are my sister and I will always love you. I promise that I will make time to spend with you and be more aware of your feelings." Luna hugged her sister tightly and then stood back.

"Sister, this night has been wild, and have I got a story to tell you!"

"As do I, Luna. As do I." Celestia listened as Luna told her tale. She grimaced at the dangerous parts and smiled at the good ones. Her interest perked up whenever Discord was mentioned but she felt like she had concealed her excitement fairly well. Then Celestia told her tale, only this time she wasn't able to hide a certain tone in her voice when she spoke of Discord. "He was just so fascinating and wonderfully strange! I found myself captivated by his eccentricities."

"Dearest sister, I do believe that you have an attraction to him. How precious! Do you want to know something?"

"What?"

"He likes you as well! He was talking about you in such a sweet way."

"Luna, surely you joke."

"Not at all. You will see when you meet him again."

"Oh I do hope you are right, sister!" Celestia and Luna walked and chatted for a bit longer in a cheerful bliss. A while later, Celestia's talk took on a new tone. "Luna, Sombra told me something that I believe is important in subduing this storm, but we need to get back to him and Discord first. Have you noticed something odd about the storm? Isn't it strange how once it a while it will calm down to unusual proportions? Have you noticed a connection between what we were doing and when the storm hushed?"

"Dear Celestia! You don't think that.."


	18. Chapter 18: Homeward Bound

Chapter 18: Homeward Bound

"Welcome back, ladies. I trust you two now have everything sorted out among yourselves. Now Celestia, would you mind telling us what you have figured out about this blizzard? Before you went off with Luna, you appeared to have had an insight. What was it?"

"Yes, indeed I did. Gather around; I have a story to tell. In Canterlot where Luna and I rule, our subjects have been living in unrest. The families have been neglecting each other, much like how I was neglecting Luna. Each night they go to bed stressed by the storm and resentful of one another for lack of knowing where else to drop their tension. The storm never let up; rather it grew worse with time. Now I want you all to recall this night. We all met and at some point, or we all were at a point when the storm hushed, if not for a moment to allow a pervading thought to grow. When I first started my adventure into this forest, I found myself recalling a fond memory of Luna and I when we were fillies; how close we were. The storm quieted down during my remembrance."

"When Sombra and I met, we were talking about family and the storm feigned a moment of stillness. I hadn't really noticed it before, but do you really think that the storm could have a connection to us?"

"It does, and part of that is my fault."

"Discord, what do you mean?"

"The fires, the frantic animals, the violent winds; they all came about when I threw my tantrum. I felt so hurt and abandoned by my brothers, sisters, and friends and thinking about them gave me too much grief. I looked out upon my land and saw the fear and destruction, and then I heard a scream. I remembered that you and Luna were in that mess and I felt ashamed. I didn't want to hurt either of you."

"Don't you see, friends? We all come from vastly different lands, yet when we came together we found a peace in each other. We found comfort and acceptance!"

"But the storm is still going. What do you make of that, Sombra?"

"We may have found harmony among ourselves, but the ponies across this land still live in complaint of each other. Come, we must make haste to Canterlot!"

* * *

So then the four companions traveled swiftly to the silver city sitting soundly on the side of a mountain. Discord was kind enough to show them the way, though not without first leading them through some poison yoke for a good laugh. After some mild discomfort and a slight lecture to Discord, they continued and reached the outskirts of Canterlot.

Celestia called out to the citizens and asked that they gather around the main square. "Citizens, subjects, friends, I have called you here today for a matter of great importance." Celestia looked at all the tired and vexed faces. She then looked at Luna. "My sister will be the one to announce it. Luna, stand proud in front of your subjects. I believe that you of all ponies know best what to say."

"Thank you, sister." Luna stood out in front of the crowd and began. "My friends, each night I watch as families retire to their homes bitter and resentful. Families that were once whole and happy are now divided and distant. Children run around these streets alone and without support because their parents are too caught up in their own business to notice. Siblings bicker because they one feels inferior to the other. Neighbors avoid each other because they do not want to be seen in their bad humor, yet nopony is willing to be the first to spread kindness. Nopony wants to be the first to admit that they are going through hardships that I guarantee you that we are all going through. No family is perfect. My sister and I are a testament to that. For the longest time we have not been getting along, and only because I was too afraid to tell her how I was feeling. However, I did tell her, and it made things so much better. Look at us. This is not how we should be living. There is no reason to fear. We should be helping each other and comforting each other in this time of distress. Look at your neighbor, look at your friends, look at your family. See that we are all in this together, and together we can make a difference. Together we can survive this storm. Together as a family, we can do anything!"

The ponies all looked at one another. One small little colt stepped forth from the crowd and walked up to Luna. He looked her in the eyes and then wrapped his hooves around hers tightly. One by one, ponies began to walk up and hug her. Celestia, Discord, and Sombra joined in as well, and finally the entire town joined together. Friends were chatting, neighbors exchanging dearest wishes, and families holding each other closely.

Somepony then shouted, "Look, the sun is cracking through the storm! It is finally passing!" The whole town rejoiced and sang merry songs and danced in joy. Our four friends stood together and smiled at the friendly banter. Luna looked at her sister and said, "Thank you, sister, for everything. Now I do believe that you have someone that you need to talk with." She nudged Celestia towards Discord and Luna took her leave with Sombra.

"Discord, I, um, I would like to tell you that… Would you care to join me in a dance?"

"My dear Celestia, I would love to."

Luna and Sombra sat together and laughed merrily at the two. They, too, partook in a dance with the rest of the town and the festivities lasted long until sundown, at which point the ponies returned to their homes and families.

And so, old families were reunited, young ones were strengthened, and new ones were formed. Days later Sombra said his goodbyes, saying that he must return to his kingdom now that he had found what he was looking for. "I promise to return next winter. Until then, farewell my friends!"

Discord also insisted that he must return to his forest. "This is no place for a creature such as I. I would like to thank you, both of you, for giving me a family as amazing as this one."

"When will I see you again?"

"When you need me, dear Celestia, I will be there for you. When you find yourself lonely, I will be there for you."

"For a creature that claims to be the lord of chaos, you sure are sappy."

Discord chuckled, "I'll miss you, too, Luna."

Celestia gave Discord a kiss on the cheek and said goodbye. She and Luna watched as he flew off towards the Everfree Forest. As for the two sisters, they remained behind with their nation. For many years, they ruled in harmony and each year, as promised, Sombra and Discord would return. Each year they would partake in the family festivities, because - as you all now know – family comes from all places and is always worth the effort.

**The End**

* * *

"Soarin, that was such a great story!"

"Oh yes, I, um, quite enjoyed it."

"But Soarin, I have a few questions. How did the peace of the families affect the storm?"

"Have you ever heard of 'Windigos'?"

"Yes."

"So have I. Anyways, there is a special magic that lives in the very soil of Equestria. It is in the trees and the ground and the sky above. It is a magic that lives in all of our hearts. It is a magic that we have the power to use for good or let it destroy us. It's the magic of love."

* * *

Author's Note

I recently watched the Hearth's Warming Eve episode and I realized something that should have been horribly obvious. My story is pretty much a copy of that episode! Therefore, instead of calling this an original story, I am just going to call it a tribute to the first Hearth's Warming story. Also, I realized that my story makes only a little sense if you look at the history of Equestria but to that, I say "so what?" *Puts on cool glasses. Cue explosion*

I began writing this story as something fun for my Facebook page (hence why the narrator is Soarin, for that is who I go by on my page). It is my first fanfic though I have had some experience in creative writing. I started writing this on December 4th and I am honestly surprised that I have been able to write a chapter nearly every day for a complete story of over 12,000 words! (I can barely write a 900 word report in two weeks).

Now for the story. I have always been a fan of bedtime stories and tall tales and over the summer, I would make up tales of knights and princesses to tell my girlfriend while I was away in another state. There is something nice about writing a simple story that gives a powerful message. It is nice to write a story that is free from buried themes, complicated symbolism, and most other devices of esteemed literature. It is nice to just sit back and enjoy a story for the story.

I hope you all enjoyed it!

Oh! and who would I be if I didn't add some selfish self-advertisement? My Facebook page: MakeLife20Cooler


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